We Could Have Been Happy
by Roxy-Lea
Summary: AU: Regina gives birth to a child a few months after Daniel's death. This oneshot is set in the the single hour Regina was allowed to spend with her daughter before she was cruelly ripped from her arms.


**All the inspiration for this oneshot came from the song 'Run', by Leona Lewis. I own nothing bar Daniela, who is the same character from my other story, 'I Won't Become Her'. However, in this oneshot things played out a little differently...**

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An hourglass had been placed in clear view of Regina's bed, the sand filtering through slowly. She could almost feel time slipping away from her; the precious time she had left before her mother would return to her bedchamber to collect the last part of her true love - her newborn daughter; her Daniela.

Cora was disappointed in her. Regina could see it etched across her mother's face every time she looked at her. Barely any words that had been exchanged between the two during the past nine months had been pleasant, but Regina had handled it well; she still had her father, who had never stopped loving her. Him and the light tickling sensation she had felt from time to time within her womb. It had only been when her mother used magic on her that Regina's heart drummed against her chest - she had feared the dark magic would affect her unborn child.

However, the words spoken tonight Regina could never bring herself to forgive. The names her mother had called her tiny, helpless child couldn't be further from the truth. They were words which Regina would never associate with Daniela, and did not wish to remember. Her daughter was perfect, and nothing less.

Tears welled up in Regina's deep brown eyes as she felt the light weight in her arms shift, a soft gurgle reaching her ears. It was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard, and pulled her instantly from the mess of thoughts whirring within her mind.

She was still yet to look down, to gaze upon her baby's face. She had caught a glimpse of the small being as it was taken to be cleaned, and that had been enough. Regina felt horrible for feeling unable to so much as look at her own daughter. But she was scared; scared that her baby would look just like her father; just like Daniel - her true love. And the heartache that would bring would completely overshadow all the pain she was currently feeling from the labour and birth.

Another gurgle drifted past her ears, and she broke. An elated yet exhausted sigh escaped the young woman's mouth as she gazed upon her daughter for the first time; her lips quivering uncontrollably as her shaking hand slowly moved down towards the tiny bundle in her arms, only to be met with a small pink hand wrapping four minuscule fingers around her thumb, squeezing tightly.

The brightest smile spread across Regina's lips as her vision blurred, her heart swelling with happiness and love. Blinking quickly, refusing to let anything prevent herself from gazing at her sweet daughter, she tilted her head downwards and gently brought their hands to her lips, kissing the baby's softly.

Regina squeezed her eyes tightly shut; the more she looked at the Daniela - the more heartbreaking it would be once the time came to hand her over to her mother.

She wondered how she would cope. It was hard enough living without her beloved Daniel. But being forced to live without her daughter as well…

Regina shook her head as her eyes opened, meeting with the beautiful soft brown eyes of her newborn daughter. She didn't want to think about the future; about what would happen once the child was ripped away from her. However, she knew that the moment was approaching fast, no matter how desperately she wished to pause time and spend forever in this moment with her baby.

"Hello, Daniela. I'm your mummy…" Regina's voice was a quiet whisper as she shifted the small bundle closer into her chest. The name had arose in her mind near the beginning of her pregnancy, and it had seemed a perfect name for one of the only connections to Daniel she had left. "I'm sorry I won't be able to protect you…I'll never forget you, sweetheart. I'll search for you. Where ever she takes you, I'll find you." Regina meant every word; she would never give up on the tiny child held in her arms. Daniel may be gone, but she wouldn't lose her daughter – not forever. She would find a way to get her back.

"I'm not sure where you'll end up. I can only hope my mother takes you some place decent, where you'll be cared for." She swallowed heavily, trying to get rid of the lump forming in her throat. Maybe one day they would be reunited; the girl would forgive her, and they could live the life Regina had dreamed for them - together.

They could be so happy.

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Time had slipped away too fast. Regina could literally see the layer of sand in the top section of the hourglass rapidly shrinking - it was torture. Tearing her gaze away, she stared into her daughter's eyes once more. She watched silently, as they grew heavy for the baby, and she slowly drifted off into a peaceful slumber, unaware that when she awoke she would be in an unfamiliar place, with unfamiliar people.

Regina couldn't help but feel like a failure as a mother; it shouldn't be like this. They should be a family; Daniel, Daniela and herself. She pressed a lingering kiss on her daughter's forehead as she inhaled deeply, breathing in her child's scent for the final time, "I love you, my dear." Her voice broke and she choked back a sob. She couldn't cry. She couldn't break down. If her mother thought she had become too attached, she may kill the child. She had always said that love is weakness.

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Regina anxiously glanced over at the hourglass. The filtering had ceased; an hour had passed.

"No…" All strength was gone from her voice, and the weak whimper was soon drowned out by the sounds coming from outside her chambers.

Regina stared down at Daniela, blocking everything else out as she concentrated on only the breathing of the sleeping baby. If she concentrated hard enough, she could almost believe that the weight of the baby in her arms would not be lifted only a few minutes later, ripping out a piece of her already broken heart in the process. She could imagine the life they _should, _but never would have together.

Even as the wooden door slammed open, Regina didn't look up. She only had eyes for her daughter. The daughter she would soon be without.

A single tear rolled down her cheek, dripping from the tip of her nose and landing on the baby's forehead. Regina didn't get the chance to gently brush the tear away; she didn't get the chance to do anything. She wasn't prepared as Daniela was suddenly ripped from her arms, and she was forced to let go.

Regina's resolve broke, and she couldn't prevent herself from dissolving into tears. Strangled sobs tore from her lips, and she felt as if she was suffocating. Her arms felt so empty and her heart so broken; Broken beyond repair. She had lost almost everything that mattered to her in such a short space of time, and no matter how loud she screamed, or how hard she cried, she couldn't do anything about it - because she didn't have control of her life; she didn't have her freedom.

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**Thanks for reading! Please leave a review and let me know what you think.**


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